Semi-automatic vending machine



Sept. 7, 1965 J. ZORNER 3,204,816

SEMI-AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 1, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 7, 1965 J. ZORNER SEMI-AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 1, 1962 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Q i I I I I I I I I l I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I l INl/E N 7' OP United States Patent Ofi ice 3,204,816 Patented Sept. 7, 1965 3,204,816 SEMI-AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINE Johannes Ztirner, I-Iamburg-Altona, Germany, assignor to H. F. & Ph. F. Reemtsma, Hamburg, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Aug. 1, 1962, Ser. No. 213,941 3 Claims. (Cl. 221199) The invention relates to a semi-automatic vending machine particularly for cigarette packets, from which the cigarette packets can be dispensed individually, either by service personnel only-in the service systen1--or by any customer himself-in the self-service system. Semiautomatic devices suitable for both methods of use are known per se.

The present invention provides a semi-automatic device, which is improved as compared with the known devices as regards serviceability as well as in construction, and comprises self-contained units capable of being combined with one another in any number desired, for containing a number of cigarette packets of identical or different brands, viz. as many as desired, within wide limits.

The semi-automatic machine according to the invention comprises a plurality of upright chutes, each containing a column of superimposed cigarette packets, and each formed by a section of U-shaped profile consisting of a transparent material allowing a free view of its contents, and closed by a ledge indicating the brand of cigarettes contained in each particular chute. Each chute has two opposite discharge openings at its lower end, and is inserted into guides formed in a stationary base. By inserting the chute into the base alternately at two positions angularly offset 180 either one or other of the openings is cleared, while the opposite opening is 2ove=red by plate fixed to the base. Upon transition from one system of vending to the other, the chutes are inserted into the base at positions turned through 180 with respect to one another, and moreover the base carrying a plurality of chutes is turned in such a manner that the fixed plate covering the openings lies at any time on the side opposite to the discharge side. The panel closing the profile of the section and constructed as a column indicating the brand of the contents of the chute is at any time at the side facing the customer, when turning the chute.

Into the chute a body is inserted, which forms a discharge ramp, on the inclined surface of which the packet which at any time rests on the lowermost packet, is guided forward after the withdrawal of the lowermost packet. In order to allow the piling up of packets having dimensions, which do not fill the cross section area of the chute, and to obviate a display to the customer of irregularly piled packets, bodies may be inserted into the chutes which partly fill the cross section area thereof.

According to another embodiment of the machine the necessity for turning the chutes and the base carrying a plurality of chutes when changing over from one system of vending to another is obviated in that each of the chutes arranged side-by-side consists of oppositely juxtaposed channel-section members of different depth combined by a unilaterally offset transverse wall forming their common bottom and by common side walls into an integral body, one of said channel-section members being capable of being completed by a rear wall of substantially channel-section to form the chute containing the packets, while the other one is capable of being filled by a dummy packet constructed as a brand indicator column. This dummy packet is exchangeable with the rear wall, one or the other of these walls at any time closing one or other of the discharge openings by being set lower. In general the discharge opening to be covered at any time is closed, as in the embodiment described first, by a plate arranged on the base.

In order to increase the stability of the chutes arranged side by side and inserted individually into the base, a common cover plate is provided, which has recesses into which engage the middle regions of the upper edges of the channel-section members.

The details and further features of the machine will be understood from the following description and accompanying drawings showing by way of example the two embodiments briefly described hereinabove, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation; and

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a semi-automatic device according to the first embodiment of the invention in the unfilled condition;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of this embodiment of the semi-automatic device in the filled condition;

FIGURE 4 shows, likewise in a side elevation corresponding to that of FIGURE 3, the semi-automatic device in the position for the discharge of cigarette packets to the customer;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a section of one of the channel-section members forming the main component of a chute, into which a second channel-section member, restricting the cross section area of the first one, can be inserted;

FIGURE 6 shows in perspective a semi-automatic machine according to the second embodiment of the invention, consisting of four chutes, with the dummy packets and rear Walls omitted;

FIGURE 7 shows thedummy packets constructed as a brand indicator column to be used therein;

FIGURE 8 shows a rear wall constructed as a channelsection for the closing of reception gutter profile of this embodiment, so as to form a complete chute; and

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational view of the device illustrated in FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 with the chutes and the associated packets inserted and rear wall assembled;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary view showing the portion of the device illustrated in FIGURE 9 with the base being rotated with respect to the mounting of the base in FIGURE 9; 1

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view of the device illustrated in FIGURE 9 taken along line 11-11 thereof; and

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view of the device illustrated in FIGURE 9 taken along line 1212 thereof.

Each individual chute of the machine illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 5 according to the first embodiment of the invention consists of a channel-section member I having an internal cross section corresponding to the packets to be taken in, having a lower end closed by a plate 2, and an open broad side 4, the upper end of the chute being also closed. This broad side is completed by a panel 5 constructed as a brand indicating column to form a chute containing a column of superimposed cigarette packets. For the purpose of fixing this brand indicating column in the upper and in the lower region of the channel-section member 1 the edges of the two longitudinal sides thereof have recesses or notches 6 directed obliquely downward, into which engage pins 7 inserted at an equal distance from one anotherinto the brand indicating column 5. The brand indicating column 5 consists of the superimposed display faces of the packets piled up in the member 1 which are enclosed in and held togetherbya transparent material.

The channel-section member has at its lower end two discharge openings 8 and 9, which are arranged at the broad sides thereof and extend to the plate 2. The lower edges 10 of the longitudinal sides of the channelasection 1 member are suitably connected to a base 11 so that it can be selectively mounted in one of two positions angularly offset 180". An upright plate 12 closes the discharge opening 8 or 9, respectively positioned at this end.

For facilitating the withdrawal of a packet 15 (FIG- URE 3) forced down under the load of the column of superimposed packets from the opening 8- or 9, respectively, on top of the plate 2 a discharge ramp 13 is suitably supported by the plate 2 and is loosely in engagement therewith, and is arranged at the end opposite the free discharge opening 8 or 9, respectively, on which the packet to be withdrawn slides forward under the weight of the column of superimposed packets.

Conveniently the machine comprises several chutes arranged at intervals side-by-side in a row, the upper ends of which are connected with one another for increasing the stability of the arrangement as a whole. For this purpose preferably the upper ends of the longitudinal sides of the channel-section members are cut out dovetail shape, and into all of these cut-outs a cover plate 14 is pushed with dovetail guides.

For sales by the sales personnel the chutes are so insert-ed that their brand indicating columns face towards the customer, i.e. come to lie above the closure plate 12. The discharge opening 3 accordingly then faces the sales personnel, while the opening 9 facing the customer is closed by the plate 12 (FIGURE 4). The outlet ramps 13 have to lie in this case on the plates 2 below the brand indicating columns 5. When the packets 15' are to be taken out by self-service personnel, the channel-section members 1 have to be inserted in such a manner that the brand indicating columns lie above the free discharge opening. The discharge ramps 13 have then to be filled, as in the discharge system described before, on the plate 12 with a slope directed towards the free discharge opening 9 (FIGURE 3).

The chutes are conveniently taken out of the base or holding device 11 for the purpose of being filled with packets, then the brand indicating columns are lifted out of the recesses 6, and the packets are inserted in horizontal position into the channel-section members. Conveniently the uppermost packet is loaded by a weight (not shown) in order that the possibility of the discharge of packets may not be impaired, when the number of packets contained in the chute has decreased to such an extent, that the proper weight of the remaining packets is insufiicient for securing their automatic advance.

The filler bodies serving in this embodiment of the invention for compensating the different dimensions of the packets of various cigarette brands, to be inserted into the channel-section members 1 and constructing their cross section area, are illustrated in FIGURE 5 and are selfexplanatory.

In FIGURES 6 to 8, which illustrate an improved embodiment of the machine, the fixed base is denoted 21, on which the chute-like containers 22 for containing the superimposed packets are detachably fixed side-by-side in a row. Each of these containers 22 standing side-byside consists of two opposite channel-section members with common side walls 23 and a common bottom 24. In the lower and in the upper region of the forward and rear edges of the side walls 23 downwardly directed recesses or notches 25 are provided. The containers 22 are detachably secured to the base 21 in any suitable manner such for example as inserting the lower edges of the containers into recesses in the base 21, as shown on FIG- URE 6.

The channel-section member containing the cigarette packets is closed by a rear wall 26. For this purpose the rear wall 26, abutting the inner side wall faces of the channel-section member 22 with its side flanges, is provided with laterally projecting pins 27 which engage into the notches 25 of the channel-section member. The channel-section member is closed on the opposite side by a dummy packet 28 constructed as a brand indicating column and hooked-on in a similar manner.

Each of the chute-like containers thus formed and arranged side-by-side in a row has two opposite discharge openings 29 at the lower end resting on the base 21, which may face at will the .sales personnel or the selfservice customer, and of which one at a time is closed by a plate 30 arranged on the base. In order that the brand indicating column 28 indicating the goods may always face towards the customerwhen the packets are taken out by the sales personnel it is mounted above the discharge opening closed by the plate 30, and for self-service over the cleared openingit is interchangeable with the rear wall 26. Obviously the rear wall may have the same indications as the dummy packet. In this form the discharge ramp 13 as above described may be used if desired.

Moreover, there exists the possibility of using the dummy packet for blocking the opening facing towards the customer, when selling the goods by the sales personnel, and for self-service to clear the opening for example by turning the dummy packet about the longitudinally and transverse axis and setting it higher. For this purpose it is necessary to dimension the lengths of the ends of the dummy packets extending outwardly from the pins differentially in accordance with the level of the discharge opening and to provide the rear of the dummy packets likewise with the same notation, but turned 180. It is then no longer necessary when changing over from one manner of using to the other to turn the arrangement of the chute-like containers as a whole about its longi tudinal axis, or to turn the base 180. Moreover the closure plate 30 as well as the discharge ramp on the base may then be dispensed with.

Owing to the possibility of interchanging the rearwall with a thicker dummy packet when both carry, in this case, the same brand indications, the depth of the channel-section members containing the packets can be varied, which makes it possible, to pile up in one and the same chute alternately short and longer packets without the necessity of the channel-section filler provided according to the first embodiment.

For the purpose of increasing the stability, the arrangement of the chute-like containers as a whole is reinforced by a cover plate 31 receiving the middle portions of the top ends thereof, which engages only the middle portions of the top ends. Owing to this arrangement it is no longer necessary to take the chutes out of the base for the purpose of refilling the same, as it Was necessary in the embodiment previously described because of the cover plate covering the whole top ends thereof.

In the embodiment according to the FIGURES 6 to 8 a Weight loading the column of packets may be dispensed with, since the packets lie in the chutes with sufficient play.

I claim:

1. A semi-automatic dispensing device for cigarette packets or the like comprising a base, an upright channelshaped chute structure on said base and selectively shiftable thereon to one of two positions angularly offset 180 from each other, there being a pair of oppositely disposed discharge openings at the lower end of said chute structure, a detachable panel constituting a brand indicating column closing the open side of said chute, a closure plate on said base for closing one or the other of said dis charge openings depending upon the position of said chute on the base, and a filler profile in said chute to enable same to accommodate different sized packets in the chute.

2. A semi-automatic dispensing device for cigarette packets or the like comprising a base, an upright channelshaped chute structure, means affording a detachable connection between said chute structure and said base enabling said chute structure to be shifted bodily from the base and turned angularly 180 and then again mounted thereon, said chute structure having at the lower end thereof a pair of oppositely disposed discharge openings, 21 detachable panel constituting a brand indicating column closing the open side of said chute structure, a removable closure plate on said base adapted selectively to close one or the other discharge openings, and a ramp adapted to be positioned immediately adjacent said closure plate for directing a packet toward the uncovered discharge openmg.

3. A semi-automatic dispensing device for cigarette packets and the like comprising a base, an upright chute structure, means afiording a detachable connection between said chute structure and said base enabling said chute structure to be shifted bodily from the base and turned angularly 180 and then again mounted thereon, said chute structure comprising two juxtaposed channelsection members of unequal depth integrated into a single body by a transverse wall forming a common bottom and by common side walls, a U-shaped rear wall closing one end of the channel member of greater depth to form a chute to contain cigarette packets, a detachable panel constituting a brand indicating column closing the channel member of lesser depth, said chute structure having at the lower end thereof a pair of oppositely disposed discharge opening, a removable closure plate on said base adapted selectively to close one or the other discharge openings, and a ramp adapted to be positioned immediately adjacent said closure plate for directing a packet toward the uncovered discharge opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,010,468 12/11 Weaver 221311 1,519,825 12/24 Douglass 31242 1,734,031 11/29 Carlson 312-42 1,989,806 2/35 Ischinger 221311 2,226,626 12/ Mann 221-311 2,360,573 10/44 Mena 221-3 11 2,577,862 12/51 Shaw 31242 FOREIGN PATENTS 594,568 3/60 Canada.

675,412 11/29 France.

13 1,422 4/29 Switzerland.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS I. DEMBO, Examiner. 

1. A SEMI-AUTOMATIC DISPENSING FOR CIGARETT PACKETS OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A BASE, AN UPRIGHT CHANNELSHAPED CHUTE STRUCTURE ON SAID BASE AND SELCETIVELY SHIFTABLE THEREON TO ONE OF TWO POSITIONS ANGULARLY OFFSET 180* FROM EACH OTHER, THERE BEING A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED DISCHARGE OPENINGS AT THE LOWER END OF SAID CHUTE STRUCTURE, A DETACHABLE PANEL CONSTITUTING A BRAND INDICATING COLUMN CLOSING THE OPEN SIDE OF SAID CHUTE, A CLOSURE PLATE ON SAID BASE FOR CLOSING ONE OR THE OTHER OF SAID DISCHARGE OPENINGS DEPENDING UPON THE POSITION OF SAID CHUTE ON THE BASE, AND A FILLER PROFILE IN SAID CHUTE TO ENABLE SAME TO ACCOMMODATE DIFFERENT SIZED PACKETS IN THE CHUTE 